What Are 3 Popular Defenses Against Drug Possession?

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3 Powerful Defenses Against Drug Possession

While many people believe drug possession charges are minor, especially when they are a misdemeanor, nothing could be further from the truth. Even misdemeanor drug charges will have a significant impact on your life, your relationships, and your career. If convicted, you’ll have a permanent criminal record that will make getting a job, buying a house, and even obtaining higher education difficult. If you’ve been charged with the possession of any drug, it’s important that you mount a solid defense. Here are three proven defense strategies.

The Drugs Belonged to Someone Else

While the “it’s not mine” defense seems cliche, it can actually be a strong one if the evidence supports it. If the police found the drugs in an area that you share with someone else, you may be able to argue that they cannot prove that the drugs were yours. For example, if the police discovered the drugs in the glove compartment of a friend’s vehicle that you were driving, or on a bookshelf in the living room of an apartment you share with your roommate, prosecutors will have a difficult time proving that the drugs could not have belonged to anyone but you.

The Substance Was Not Drugs

In order to convict a person of drug possession, prosecutors must first prove that the substance police found is, in fact, illegal. This means that the drug must go undergo chemical testing. If chemical testing proves that the drugs were not, in fact, an illegal substance, the charges against you are likely to be dropped.

Lack of Evidence

The evidence is critical in a drug possession case, and police officers typically must be able to produce the drugs that they found on your person or property. However, this is not always doable. For example, the police may have lost the drugs or a crooked cop may have taken the drugs for him or herself. Regardless, an experienced defense attorney will call into question the actual evidence and if police are unable to produce it, there’s a good chance that your case will be dismissed.